Monofilament...Love it or ??

I suppose the jury is still out on this discussion, at least for me.

A couple of months ago I was fortunate enough to take a class from David Taylor. I'm sure if you've seen his work you'd recognize the name (or the other way around...). He's an amazing quilter with such artistic sense, and the way he pulls his works of art together are through machine applique using monofilament as a top thread. Makes sense, as the monofilament pretty much can not be seen (both figuratevely and literally). His technique is really quite simple and I have started to embrace it quite a little bit. I almost didn't even take the class once I saw that it was machine applique, but I tried the class anyway, thinking, "I can always stand to learn something new". I did learn something new and am quite glad I took the class. But, that darned monofilament...

To call it a thread may be a stretch. Ha! That's humorous in its own right as that monofilament has quite the stretchy quality to it. I think I like the idea of using it...I think my machine tends to think otherwise. It likes to twist and get tangled and get stuck and then it messes with the tension, so while I'm sewing, I have to constantly watch what the top thread is doing as it's threaded through the machine while also watching where my stitching is going (I think I need more eyes to watch everything)... 

Practice, though, over and over, and listening to my machine, I'm starting to "hear" when the monofilament is tangled and know it's time to stop sewing and give the monfilament some attention (as it's clearly begging for some), and then I can go back to sewing. Thank goodness that machine applique isn't a "sew at the speed of light" kind of activity.

In the end, using the monofilament for machine applique does produce rewards, and like a game of golf, keeps you coming back for more. You make that one cool looking applique item (or golf shot), that you figure, "I've got this", even though you know there's a frustrating part coming (a bad shot, or in the case of monofilament, a tangled mess). You just have to keep on keepin' on, though... As I worked through the tangled messes, I have managed to create a cool rendition of the Earth, using David's technique and the spool of monofilament I received in the class. The creative fun with the technique just opens up another door of design, and I think I'll continue to explore the fun it can produce. My Earth has overlapping colors which help create a transparent nature, along with a large leaf to just change up the shapes and bring in another interesting component that's "Earth-like".

Close up, you can see some of where the stitching got more prominent that I'd like...but...I think it still works...

Despite the frustrations some of our materials provide, sometimes perseverance and practice will pay off. My current piece is for a musically-inspired quilt challenge, so I'm trying to see if I can get my piece put together for our show in October.

Here's my contemporary rendition of the Earth.  I think it's kind of cool with the overlapping, transparent circles. 

Have fun embracing new techniques as you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. As with most things, you just have to figure out how to work with the different technique personalities.

Cheers!

Linking up with Nina Marie @ Creations - Quilts, Art, Whatever

...and Free Motion Mavericks today. 

 The Race is On…

Here we are - late August and deadlines are fast approaching.  In October, the Guild has its annual quilt show, annual fundraiser auction, and as part of the quilt show, there’s a “challenge” quilt category, which this year is “musically inspired quilts”.  That’s a lot to unpack, there, isn’t it?  Time is short to get everything completed in time.  I’m going to try, though, and see what I can get accomplished. 

It’s a bit surprising to track how long it actually takes to quilt your three-layers on a sit-down machine.  No computer involved to guide you - it’s all you and your harmony with your design and your machine.  Here’s a couple shots of the quilt I’m hoping to finish for the Quilt Show.  There’s definitely things I could have done differently, I think, but I think it’ll turn out okay.  Not a prize winner, but just entering in the show is fun.  What would I have done differently?  For one, I would have used the back side of the printed fabric for the blocks (David Taylor educated us to a front and back side of fabric - not a right or wrong side)...but I didn’t and forged ahead, so it’s what it is.  The Dresden Plates are just more subtle in the design.  I am hoping by heavily quilting the center of each block, leaving the Dresdens minimally quilted, would let the Dresdens stand out a bit more - especially after the quilt is washed.  We’ll see.  Tis a bit of an experiment…  I’m thinking the name of the quilt needs to be “Gypsy” or “Bohemian” or something along those lines…

I am having fun with the free motion quilting, though.  Very freeing to just get ideas in your brain and let go and have fun. I tend to mark a couple of main elements that I want (and where I want them) and then I just fill in around the main elements.

Close up of the free motion quilting I'm having fun with. The applique flowers pull from the background fabric in the block.

Now, the auction quilt.  That’s an earlier deadline, and I just need to get started on the quilting. It’s a wall hanging and this time I’m trying to use some 3-dimensional elements.  Perhaps I’ve captured a sunny fall day in Colorado walking amongst the Aspen trees as they put on their annual show.  It’s a bit conceptual, but I think it’ll work…another experiment, I think. 

I found all this lovely blue fabric and it felt like it would combine to make an interesting “sky”/background for the trees.  If you’ve seen any of the iconic photos of the fall Aspens here in Colorado, folks often times shoot with the deep blue Colorado sky in the background, with the gold Aspen leaves contrasting.  So, now my goal is to get it quilted...like I said, "the race is on...".

Been gone for a while, and hoping to get back to blogging more often as I am shifting gears in life and taking time off from work.  Constant stress is no way to spend every day, so, I’m “tapping out” for a while to see what the universe has to offer.  I took some quilting classes this summer and I’ll share some of those experiences in my next posting.  There’s always something to learn out there and you can be surprised by how much you can use the various techniques.  There’s certainly a world of exploration…waiting….

‘Till next time…happy creating!

Renewing Interest

I haven’t posted in many months – in fact, it’s probably been a couple of years.  I’ve been meaning to; really I have.  A new job with more responsibilities kind of took away some freedoms and so I find I have less time to devote to the things I love. Now, though, time is a bit of a fog with the whole world being turned upside down.  Who knows what to think of all of this; I certainly have mixed reactions – melancholy in that I really can’t do much to change anything, anger and frustration because reasonableness seems to have gone out the window, and the calm that comes with now having to work from home.  Human interaction is virtually at a standstill, and who knows how long it all will last.

What it has given me, though, is some time.  Time to think and time to sew – or escape.  There’s just only so much Netflix one can watch, and only so much news one should watch. So, I find, it’s time to start getting back to things that matter and back to things that do make sense.

I figured it’d be fun to show several projects I’m working on.  Are they UFOs?  Well, not really. They're simply work in progress at various stages.  I don’t know about you, but when I get stuck on something that I’m not sure what I want to do with it, I set it aside for a while.  I figure if I let my mind rest from it, at some point I’ll get an epiphany and the light bulb will shine. Once that happens, then I’m off and running on that project again. 

We’re quilters.  We have more than good intentions, yet we can get sidelined and get stuck in the “I’m trying to make this my best quilt ever” mode.  I did that with one of my quilts – sandwiched the darned thing incorrectly, started quilting it, and got too far along to rip it all out once I figured out I sandwiched it wrong. So, instead of just dealing with it and moving on, it has been sitting, on my quilting table, for almost a year now.  I get lost in the “perfect” world, get mad, then don’t finish something.  I look at it every day – because it’s near my workout area, so I see it nearly every day.  It’s too pretty to just give up on.  It’s too much work already invested to be angry at it and want to toss it aside.  That’s not what quilting should be – it should be an expression and it should be enjoyable – not something that makes you mad and frustrated.  So, I finally decided to just get on with it – resign that it’s not “perfect”.  No, it won’t win awards, but every quilt doesn’t need to, nor should it.  Every quilt needs to be enjoyed.  It needs to be loved and cherished because a lot of work goes into these beauties.  They are phenomenal works that folks produce, and they should be enjoyed. 

So, here’s some of what I’m working on these days…

A “wheel of mystery” quilt that I’m hand-piecing.  I have almost 100 pieced made; think I need 120 and then I can start to set it together. This has been my nemesis quilt pattern….I’ve tried to piece this for years, never being successful. Then, this year, for some reason (really, 2019) I figured out how to piece the pattern, and now, I’m close to having the pieces ready to set together.  Wow!  I always thought to myself, “self, if you can piece this quilt, you truly are a good quilter”.  Achievements; those are always nice things.

95 pieces and counting...we'll get there...it just takes time...which most of us have now that we're at home more...

Here’s my Circle Play pieces that I’m working on from a Jen Kingwell pattern.  What I love about this is nothing – and I mean literally nothing – has to match.  You don’t have to fuss about what works together and what doesn’t – but, magically, it all works.  Only 4 more pieces to go and I’ll be ready to set this together.

The Jen Kingwell pattern I'm working on.  Nothing HAS to match, which makes this fun.  Circles, though, are challenging...but hand-piecing works best for me in these situations...

And, here’s a quilt I’ve intended to make for  a friend and his wife who both retired about 2 years ago.  Yep, I’m a bit slow.  But, the front will be this happy farm-like pattern and the back will have Dodge cars and Dodge fabric on the back – you see, my friend is a Dodge car fan.  So, the front is for his wife, the back is for him.  Fun, huh?

And then, here’s the applique quilt that almost didn’t get quilted.  It’s in progress and at least I’ve decided it makes more sense to quilt it and enjoy it rather than toss it aside.  I’ve got hours – I don’t know how many hours – of needle-turned applique work on this quilt…the first, and probably only all-applique quilt I’ll ever do.  So, it needs its place in the sun, and finishing it only seems fitting.

Two blocks and part of the border is quilted.  I'm making headway, but it's slow because the quilting is dense.  But, like most things, in time, it'll get finished.  I have to get it quilted so I can get it off the table and get others on...

This world isn’t perfect.  Nothing is.  But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy it for what it is.  And, every quilt doesn’t need to be a “winner” in some show.  Every quilt needs to be a “winner” in the eyes of the owner.  As you look at your stash, find those “misfit toys” that still want and need to be loved.  Sure, they’re not perfect, but they’re perfect in their imperfection.  Remember what’s important, and get to enjoying things from the base level. 

Life is going to be okay.

Breathe.

Retirement, Enlightenment, and Value – Oh my!

January 16, 2018

As usual, there’s too many projects and not enough time.  It’s been almost six months since we had to say goodbye to our beloved Shepherd, and while I’m still having a tough time with losing him, I am slowly starting to have some creative ideas slip in the fray.  The projects are stacking up and it’s really surprising how just a little bit of work each day or each week on a project can slowly accumulate and make the project finish seem not so far in the distance.  Of course, having multiple projects already ongoing doesn’t preclude me from starting another. 

A colleague of mine will be retiring this spring after 25 years of service to the company and so I volunteered to mark her retirement with a signature/retirement quilt.  I’d selected a more traditional pattern, since she’s a traditional kind of gal, and figured out where and how I could include signature blocks while still assembling a quilt that would fit her taste.  I’ve gotten the Hole in the Barn Door (or Churn Dash) blocks finally completed.   

Now, after finally getting all the signature blocks, I’m working on framing them out so that the main assembly can begin.  I have to have it completed by May…I’m pretty sure I’m in a good position to get it completed (quilting and all). 

Just one of the signature blocks. 

Working on a quilt, jointly with my sister, I’m seeing the fun of a tessellation quilt and the associated use of value and color to make an M.C. Escher-influenced quilt design.  The majority of the quilt is going to need to be pieced using Y-seams, but it’s a challenge and should be pretty cool once it’s completed.  My sister is working on the top half; me the bottom half. 

 

Darks, lights, and mediums make this quilt dimensional...now to sew it all together...

The challenge becomes using the right value of the pieces we’ve cut to make the quilt look three-dimensional.  If you want a lesson in how dark or light a color reads next to another color, try one of these types of quilts.  They’re quite intriguing and are really cool when you step back from them and view the whole.

Meanwhile, through all of this, I mostly completed the quilt top I was working on just after my Shepherd went to dog heaven.  I still need to design some applique to finish out the squaring triangles, but I’ll get there.   

The center applique is taken from the background fabric.  Very saturated pattern...I think I like it...

Other priorities are taking hold. Plus, I’m on the cusp of completing my 11^th block of 12 for the red-background applique quilt I’ve been working on – for what seems like years now.   

This is block #11...almost done, just working on the center.  Still have to figure out block #12...

One more block to go and an applique border and then I can set the thing together.  Just a couple more years on that to go (probably)…but that’s the “just work a little at a time and you do get there”…amazingly!!

Maybe the moral of the story is to just not give up.  Things happen in life that rip your heart apart and you don’t know if it can ever be repaired.  I don’t know that my heart will ever get over the loss, but I hope that having my pup in my life – even for the short time I had him – made me a better person – a richer person – for knowing him.  And maybe quilting for other people – offering them a heartfelt gift enriches their lives, too. 

Happy Quilting!

 

Stardate 2016.91.1

A Day Off of Work Does Wonders for the Soul        

A long time coming, I was finally able to get a day off of work to have for myself.  Sure, myself includes playing with our German Shepherd Dog throughout the day, but he protects, while I manage to quilt, so some play time is much deserved. 

The pup, playing in the snow. A bit dark, but you get the idea that quilting inside was a better option that day (at least for me).

Turns out, it was a great day to part from work. The cold weather set in (yep, anything can still happen in springtime in the Rockies) and the snow started to fly even as the peach trees are trying to bloom.  But, I remained cozy and warm in the house, stitching away on several projects. 

I finally found a border fabric I liked for the pink and chocolate quilt which I’m making for a wedding gift.  I got the border sewn on, and I think it kind of adds a retro/vintage vibe to the quilt.  And now, I’m busy working on free-motion quilting the quilt.  I’m still trying to get used to the new machine I got – trying to figure out how to best maneuver all the bulk of the quilt around without getting frustrated.

Now with the border fabric attached, I'm ready to quilt.  So far, it looks like I'll have this done in time for the wedding in August.  Yeah! 

I also spent some time working on the offset log cabin quilt that I have in the works.  I never thought I liked the Log Cabin pattern (fact is, I still kind of don’t), but I love this offset variation of the pattern.  So, I managed to get some more blocks made for that quilt.  It’s going to take a while because I have to make several blocks with different colors…but I’m at least on my way with this ongoing project.

Blue/Aqua blocks and Orange blocks of the offset log cabin quilt that I'm plugging away at slowly.  Each full "ball" block takes four blocks and each individual block has about 12 individual pieces.  It's taking a while, but it's gonna be cool...

Here's a full "ball" block in the purple color range.  When the quilt top is completed, it'll have several different color "balls", all made in the offset log cabin pattern. 

I also managed to finish another one of the red applique blocks.  That makes 7 blocks completed!  Yeah!  I designed the #8 block, and am currently working on that…Seems I’m never quite happy with re-making someone else’s quilt; I often times find myself injecting my own ideas in the quilt patterns.  So the #8 block will be the second block that I’ve designed to replace some of the original block patterns. 

Here's Block #7 done up in some electric colors.  I think the color combinations turned out well, and will go nicely with the other blocks I've made already.  This quilt will be a long haul, but the turtle wins the race, eventually. 

I love how I'm seeing my color combinations and color tastes change over time with this quilt.  I find myself getting wilder with the color combinations and pleasantly pleased with the outcome of each block.  

It’s great to have productive days off – especially when they involve quilting. I hope you find productive days off – or just productive time to further your own quilting creativity! 
Linking up with Let's BEE Social at Sew Fresh Quilts...

Stardate 2016.33.1

A Mish-Mash of Projects

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been toggling among several different projects I have in the works.  Seems I can only work on one project for so long before wanting to switch my brain to something else.  I imagine we all do that – that’s probably why each of us has several UFO’s (or UFP’s – “unfinished projects”) in our quilting rooms.  Often times I find I get to a point in a project where I simply have to let it sit for a while; you know, “stew” in the brain.  I liken these phases to writer’s block:  you might know where you want to go, but you’re not sure of the creative path to get you there.  Of course, creativity can also just come from a spontaneous moment or thought, and then when you have that thought you have to start acting on it because you’re so excited to see your creativity come to life.  I guess it could be a case of being scatter-brained, but I'm going to go with finding the right creative path...makes me feel like I really do have a method to my madness...

So, as I contemplate bits and pieces of each project, I thought I’d share some progress I’ve made on a few of my outstanding items on the long list of projects I want to complete this year. 

With inspiration and excitement fueled back into the red applique quilt I started, I did manage to complete the block that got me re-excited.  I’m pretty happy with how it turned out as it does seem to just leap off of the red background.

I was so excited with how that block came together that I decided to get started on another one while the energy level was high.  So, here it is…one flower just about complete…only three more to go, and five more blocks to make before I can set the quilt top together…

The red applique block has been sitting for a week now; just needed a break from it and after going to an introductory class on the HQ Sweet Sixteen I bought, I learned some things I wasn’t doing quite right. So, with newly gained information in hand, I came home excited to quilt and got right back to the One Block Wonder quilt I’m working on.  With a more relaxed and confident attitude with my new knowledge, I quilted the blue inner border, and am quite happy with the results.  I also started using a straight edge to get a straight line with the machine, and found with a little practice using the straight edge could go pretty well…

Quilting the blue inside border on the OBW quilt.  I'm doing a modified half-feather pattern.

I started using the straight edge to make straight lines when free-motion quilting...so far, so good.

And, here’s a small sampling of what I have in the queue for quilt tops that need to be quilted.  One is an adaptation of the Lemon Squares pattern found on the Fresh Lemons quilt blog; the other is a scrappy Christmas fabric quilt, and the third is large star pattern I made from a Fons & Porter magazine…I’ll blog about how that one came about at a later date (there's a story behind that one)...

Three little quilts in a row...all waiting to be quilted.  Practice on the OBW quilt will lead to confidence to quilt these beauties (hopefully this year...)

Have fun with all of your various projects…and here's hoping get the opportunity to get some of those UFP’s ready for unveiling in 2016, too…

Stardate 2015.350.1

No Machine, No Problem!

Taking my sewing machine in for service is no easy task.  Not because it’s difficult to get to the service shop, but more so because I’ll be without my machine and its services for longer than any quilter wants to be without their machine.  But, into the shop it had to go.   Luckily, I always keep some handwork to do.

I picked up an applique quilt I’ve been working on for some time.  I’ve managed to get five blocks done and then stalled out pretty significantly on it (It takes 12 blocks...).  Without my machine, I decided the universe was telling me to get started on another block. 

A couple of finished blocks, including an original flower design (the purple flower).

Applique is slow-going for me as I do the old-fashioned needle-turned applique, but I do love the results!  I find the hardest thing to do in the applique realm is to either turn really sharp points (points like an arrow head) or turning in very sharp points (points like a “V” shape) without the fabric fraying. So, those types of designs always frustrate me and I tend to steer clear of them.  But, for some reason, I dove right in on this one.  Perhaps I just needed a challenge, or perhaps I just didn’t want to “not quilt” for a few weeks while my machine was out for service.  Or, my third option might just be that the red in the quilt felt “holiday-ish” and so it just helped to bring the spirit of the season out. Plus, it's just a cheerful quilt pattern. Regardless of the reason, I’m now trying to get another block finished before I veer off onto another project.

Close up of one of the finished blocks.  I love the flowers in these blocks as they are very playful.

I spotted these blocks in a quilt store in Utah, while traveling there for work, several years ago.  Now, you have to understand that red is not a favorite color of mine; in fact it can wear me out while working with it a lot.  I think it’s just the shear intensity of the color sometimes.  But, when I saw the blocks, I was smitten by them, and, too, knowing what I know about me and the color red, I thought the quilt would be a good challenge for me – force me into that realm of being “uncomfortable” so that I would explore something different.   After all, I probably never would have tried making a quilt with red as the predominate color…

The pattern is from Piece O’Cake quilts and it’s called “Aunt Millie’s Garden”.   I started out buying the “block of the month” fabrics, but then quickly transitioned to my own because I thought the colors I was getting were too muted for the pattern.  So, off on my own I went.

Here's the pattern.
I've seen others complete the quilt - some on a black background, and its very striking.

Because I’m not great at needle-turned applique, I bought the video from Piece O’ Cake Quilts on needle-turned applique.  I’d had a class at a local quilt shop many moons ago, and thought a refresher couldn’t hurt, and I’d probably learn something – maybe a different technique – from the newer video.  The video was very helpful and gave me several new techniques to use one which includes using a wet toothpick to turn some of the sharp points. I’m learning to  tackle those pesky points and do a little better each time I navigate one. 

So, here is Block #6 in the works.

For Block #6, I'm using lines of fabric mainly from Joel Dewberry (mainly Notting Hill)
and a couple fabrics from Pat Bravo. Different, but I think it'll work... 

Having a lot of time between the first five blocks and this one, I realized I’ve chosen very different fabrics than the previous blocks for Block #6, but with the overall design of the quilt, I think it’ll work out okay. I’m plugging along on it but am a bit baffled on what color to make the stems and leaves.  It’ll come…inspiration usually does.  Sometimes it’s in the form of others’ observations…

I’d challenge you to think about what colors, or what patterns are outside your comfort zone, and try to take on that “unfamiliar” path.  You might just open up a new world of creativity for yourself.  I’m going to keep on this red quilt.  It may take me several years to complete (because I’m slow at applique), but I will get it finished.  Have fun with what you decide to tackle outside your comfort zone.  I hope you discover something fantastic!!